Soft Shelled Crabs - A Cajun Delicacy

If you're looking for a true Cajun delicacy, you may want to consider the soft shelled crab. These crabs can be cooked numerous ways.

 A crab normally has a hard shell. But in order for it to grow, it has to shed this hard shell to become larger. A crab will shed its hard shell about once a month. This shedding process is called molting. A crab will become about thirty three percent larger with each molting.

When a hard shell crab molts, it basically just crawls out of its old shell. It is estimated that female crabs will molt about eighteen to twenty times in their short lifespan. Male crabs will molt approximately twenty one to twenty three times. It is interesting to note that as the crab grows older, the molt becomes more difficult. It is not unusual for a crab to die while molting.

The period right after the crab crawls out of its shell is when they possess a soft shell. This is what many Cajun cooks are looking for. The crab is at its prime for good eating, plus it is weak from the molting process. This makes it much easier to catch. Crabs will only molt in the water.

There are several methods to catching the crabs when they're in this state. The most basic method is called scapping. This involves taking a long handled net and wading through the shallow water looking for molting crabs. Once spotted, you just scoop it up with a net.

Another method consists of using a male crab called a Jimmy, to entice the female crabs that may be ready for mating. Place a Jimmy into the top compartment of a wire cage and place the cage in the shallow water where you know there are plenty of female crabs. This will usually attract a good many female crabs.

Once you have your soft shells, it is important that you learn how to clean the crab before you cook it. You must remove the lungs of the crab. You also must cut off the head section of the crab that contains the eyes and the mouth. There is also a section of the crab that is called the apron. This section needs to be removed also.

Find some great Cajun recipes to try with your soft shelled crabs. You may be amazed at how delicious these little critters taste.

Beryl Stokes, 17 Oct 2009

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beryl_Stokes

Back to top